Say Hello To The “Live-In Room,”

Take the room formerly known as a kitchen. The new concept room features a professional cooking area, a less formal dining and entertaining space, and a comfortable lounge area with sofas, a television, and a beverage center.

Electrolux, an international appliance company, debuted "Live-In Room" concepts at the 2006 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. “We reviewed how the kitchen is used and developed a space that makes it a comfortable setting that encourages togetherness,” says John Swenson, director of brand marketing for the company.

Instead of walls, the room has "zones" that allow for residents to move around into different areas seamlessly and perform different tasks, from paying bills to watching movies on a comfy couch.

Then there’s the room formerly know as the laundry room. Cabinetry manufacturer Merillat Industries LLC showed off its ideas for multiuse layouts incorporating various types of cabinetry to bring together laundry, craft, office, and other spaces.

Design Services Director Paul Radoy says his team discovered that small kitchen spice drawers make great storage for sewing materials, fly-tying supplies, or model-building parts. Pull-out desk surfaces double as sewing stations, and an island on casters is ideal for a laundry-folding table or gift-wrapping surface.
Both Electrolux Electrolux and Merillat have tools and checklists on their Web sites that encourage multiuse-space thinking. “It's exciting to see what people will do with this mixed-use approach because the result will be different for everyone,” Radoy says.
Source: Remodeling Magazine